Description:
The Assistant Manager of La Mer Global Product Development supports all aspects of the development process, working to achieve the brand’s strategic objectives. Reporting to the La Mer Global PD Director, helps manage new launches in skincare and makeup to drive innovation to market with excellence in execution while ensuring highest quality standards in product maintenance. Collaborating with cross-functional teams, helps support development of new consumer-inspired testing, claims and storytelling while ensuring adherence to defined timelines and business goals.
ACCOUNTABILITIES:
- Responsible for helping support development and breakthrough innovation in alignment with brand strategy
- Actively participate in brainstorming and ideation of new concepts and programs, identifying key opportunities for exploration and calendarization
- With support from Director, help manage the initiation, tracking and execution of projects throughout the PD and R&D process from program kickoff to launch, assisting from concept to counter and tracking all milestones in alignment with timelines
- Coordinate sample distribution to team, evaluate lab submissions and communicate feedback with precise detail and agility
- Own assigned project Product Development charts, submissions logs and various organizational documents throughout entire development process
- Generate and issue detailed status reports on development progress as relevant to projects
- Help facilitate Clinical, Sensory and Consumer testing, generating and tracking all samples and required paperwork with technical teams
- Help research and support ideation of new testing and claims opportunities + consumer-facing messages
- Act as the PD representative at select internal meetings and events, presenting on behalf of the department
- Interface and collaborate with key cross-functional departments (Marketing, Education, Creative, Packaging, Operations) to ensure successful launches and product fidelity
- Help develop and create storytelling, visuals, demos and presentation support assets with Director
- With support from Director, partner with R&D partners at lab and production scale, working on new and existing formulae – attend select pilot / production scale ups to help ensure optimal translation and quality
- Manage library of PD QA standards and facility change processes
- Maintain orderly, neat, efficient standard / submission storage and tracking systems
- Assist in generating and reviewing copy, training materials, ILN’s claim sheets and profiles
- Set-up vendor and new product meetings to review development status and issues relative to timelines
- Issue bi-weekly trend reports on new competitive new product introductions, innovations and competition as well as outside industry/technology inspirations and provide relevant insights
- Attend beauty and cross-industry events (skincare, makeup, packaging, science / formulation), including trend/trade shows and key conferences
- Help record and issue internal and external meeting status notes when required
- Support senior level meetings with samples, documentation, reports and presentation needs
- Help communicate status of programs in alignment with defined milestones using La Mer tracking systems online and off, alerting cross-functionals of any and all important updates (delays, challenges, additional support required)
- Purchase and evaluate key competitive products, reporting on insights to inspire new learnings and applications